Intersection
by Acerze
Summary: Worlds were never meant to meet. But when they do, balance must be preserved. Four individuals are forced together to fight in an unknown land: Remnant. Along with Remnant's own resident warriors, they must stop the combined forces that threaten everything they've ever known. And maybe find something new along the way. NOTE: Putting this on hold, rewrite probable.
1. The Four

**Hey all, this has to be my most ambitious project yet! I just wanted to note, you don't have to know the lore of each world I'm writing about, I will be explaining them in further detail than just this prologue. I mean, I guess it would help if you knew RWBY's setting, but the plot itself will be mostly of my own making. That's what happens when you have this many works coming together. Anyways, those who know the lore will see what I may or may not have planned for this story, while those who are unfamiliar will hopefully be interested enough to learn as I reveal more about each character's world and past.**

 **My other current crossover update is still in the works! I'm about halfway through the second chapter, and I will be getting it out sometime soon. So no worries there!**

* * *

 **Prologue: The Four**

 **Between the Worlds**

The borders between worlds have blurred. Beings, concepts, powers that never should've touched are mixing freely. And like anywhere in existence, there is conflict. Every world has its own internal struggle. In human concepts, it would be the war between order and chaos.

But this was a problem.

Within a single world, the conflict would eventually reach equilibrium. For no matter how distasteful, order could not exist without chaos, and chaos without order. When worlds mix…the balance of power may shift. And no matter which side won, it would almost always end with total annihilation.

If it could, the concept of Order would be frowning. It knew it had to give Chaos a chance to fight back in order to preserve balance, but it also knew Chaos wouldn't ever do the same in return. Chaos, unfortunately, had the upper hand now.

Four worlds were currently mixing at a single point, a fifth world, called Remnant. The agents of chaos from those various worlds were already joining with Remnant's own agents of chaos, while the agents of order were blissfully unaware of what was coming.

Something had to be done.

Carefully viewing the inhabitants of all four worlds, Order decided to act. It would select an individual from each world, well-versed in fighting against their own agents of chaos, and send them to Remnant to help make a stand. As for how integrating these individuals would work…there were several plans that came to mind.

If it could, Order would be smiling mischievously. Chaos seemed to think by brute forcing its agents together, it could overwhelm Order. It was about to get a lesson in balancing and planning.

But it wouldn't do to be too involved, however. After all, Order was just a concept, no?

* * *

 **The First World: Middle-Earth (Shadow of Mordor)**

This world was easy. The chosen individual would only need a little prompting to accept his new role. As for any changes to his person...well, he would have to learn that sometimes, change is necessary. The process of sending him to Remnant began immediately.

Talion of Gondor awoke from his rest, leaning against the pillar of one the many forge towers he used as staging areas for his operations. A minor feeling of annoyance surfaced up, chastising himself for resting when there was work to be done. But that feeling immediately disappeared as his mind caught up to the present. He had done it. The Black Hand of Sauron was dead, along with the other two Black Captains, and he was at the brink of a campaign that, in his mind, would bring the Dark Lord to his knees. All he needed to do was forge a ring of power with the help of his friend and partner, Celebrimbor. Then they could continue to throw Sauron's plans into disarray.

Allowing himself a brief moment of joviality, he turned and was immediately greeted by Celebrimbor himself, standing in the same spectral way he always did when advising Talion. Side-by-side, the two of them were polar opposites. Aside from the obvious fact that Talion looked very much alive and Celebrimbor looked like a ghost out of a child's nightmare, they were two very contrasting men.

Talion had shoulder-length dark brown hair with a matching full beard, and wore the rough protective armor of a Ranger. He had a face that gave off the impression of a strong, mild-mannered, and well-humored man, but until recently, it had been marred with a shadow of rage and hatred. Celebrimbor, on the other hand, wore extremely extravagant armor that didn't quite match his appearance. In life, he had filled his armor more, but now, he gave off the impression of a starved man trying to fill a king's shoes. His face was gaunt and narrow, but he had surprisingly good-looking long dark hair.

"Talion." Celebrimbor looked gravely serious. Talion frowned, his previous moment of cheeriness dissipating. Celebrimbor didn't commonly refer to Talion by name, and his tone sent chills down his spine.

"What's wrong, friend?" Talion asked worriedly. Celebrimbor was, by nature, a rather gloomy and serious person. But this was different. Even though he was a specter, he still managed to look pale at the moment.

"You wish to fight the Dark Lord, correct?" Celebrimbor asked him, his tone flat.

"Of course. Is that not what we've been doing all this time?" Talion replied with unconcealed confusion.

"Indeed." Celebrimbor looked at Talion silently for a moment, as if sizing him up, "I regret to inform you that the Dark Lord's focus has changed."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Sauron has moved on from his plans for Mordor. I've seen visions, of places I've never seen, of people we've never met. The Dark Lord means to bring them under his control. A new location to conquer and dominate."

"Then we must move quickly to this new region. Has he decided to take his forces north prematurely, perhaps to Mirkwood? The Elves should be warned." Talion immediately began to move, but Celebrimbor stopped him with a hand on the shoulder.

"No, Talion. In my time, I've viewed almost every land of Middle-Earth. The Woodland Realm is no exception."

"What are you saying then? Has he decided to go overseas? Where?"

"Beyond the seas. He has moved into a new realm, one that is not prepared for the likes of his evil. They will fall. And when they do, he will use his newfound foothold to return to Middle-Earth and destroy everything we have worked to protect."

"Then what can we do? We are just wraiths, bound to this land." Talion was growing frustrated. How was it that no matter what they did, the Dark Lord always had something else to bring against them?

"No, Talion. _I_ am just a wraith bound to this land." Celebrimbor gave him a small smile, shocking the ranger. The spectral elf was not one to show his emotions easily, let alone showing happiness, "Despite our differences, it was an honor fighting alongside you, Ranger of Gondor."

"Wait, what are you planning? What's going on?"

"I've been given the ability to send you to help this new land. Those people know not what Sauron is capable of." Celebrimbor replied before frowning, "However, doing so would also be giving up on Middle-Earth. I have no knowledge of how to return you here if you succeed. Indeed, you were never meant to be brought back from death in the first place. If you wish to pass on in peace, then so be it. No matter your path, our cooperation ends here. There is no point if there is no Dark Lord to fight."

Talion froze. Give up his home, the land he's been fighting for all this time, to help strangers? He might've rejected it, had he still been a captain, loyal to Gondor and steadfast in her defense. But he was dead. His life here was over. He had decided to fight against the Dark Lord with every fiber of his being. If these people needed help, if he could hinder Sauron's plans in any way, he would do so. There wasn't any other choice.

"I will go. I do not know if a simple man like myself can truly stand against Sauron, but I must try." Talion said resolutely. He couldn't rest in peace if he knew he could've continued to fight against Sauron's evil.

"I knew you would say that. But you misunderstand. You are a wraith as well, but you will no longer be bound to this land when I end our link. You, my vessel, will be free." Celebrimbor elaborated. Talion's heart leapt, if he understood what his friend was saying, he might just have a chance.

"Are you saying I can continue to use the abilities you have granted me?" Talion asked hopefully.

"I will impart all my abilities, so that to you, nothing will have changed. Then I will leave Middle-Earth forever. It is time I met with my family once again."

Talion was overcome with a sudden flood of emotion. He clapped the elf on the back, "Thank you, my friend. I will not fail you or your trust."

Celebrimbor nodded in reply. The two stood still for a moment, remembering their personal war against the Uruk armies of Mordor. It hadn't been an easy time, but Talion did not carry any regrets from his actions. He hoped Celebrimbor felt the same. The ghostly elf seemed to have similar thoughts, before turning again to face Talion.

"Then, let us depart." Celebrimbor rested a hand on Talion's shoulder, imbuing him with the power that they shared. Talion's body turned spectral, his life no longer connected to the land, and soon, he faded away, eyes closed as if in a deep sleep. Celebrimbor sighed. He had done as his visions had requested, but still felt a bit regretful that he would not have a larger role to play in stopping the Dark Lord. But what's done is done. He closed his eyes, and soon, both his and Talion's souls were no longer of Middle-Earth.

That was one down. Three more to go.

* * *

 **The Second World: Unnamed (Monster Hunter)**

This shouldn't prove difficult either. This world was mostly peaceful, with the power of chaos coming from the wildlife and fauna rather than any organized force or group that threatened humanity. The wildlife itself wasn't even trying to kill all humans or anything like that, they were just so dangerous in terms of wild animals that humans had to be cautious. The problem lay with what would happen to the wildlife when corrupted by chaos from other worlds. When that time came, they would need someone who knew how to deal with the unique beasts this world had to offer. There was only one choice.

Across every land in this world, beasts roam free. One could find dragons, wyverns, mammoths, dinosaurs, any kind of creature would show up in one form or another. In order for civilization to function, their homes, transportation, and communication must be secure. That is the role of the Hunter's Guild. The Guild employs hunters that travel around the world, taking up requests in order to deal with problems caused by monsters. To ensure safety, the guild had a set difficulty system for requests along with separation of hunters by three general ranks: Low, High, and G-Rank.

One such hunter was named Auren, the resident hunter of a traveling caravan of merchants and artisans that moved all over the continent. The young hunter became famous for handling requests wherever he went through the caravan's guild liaison, Sophia, also known as the Guildmarm.

Even among the dangerous beasts of the world, the truly powerful become known as "Elder Dragons", regardless of whether the monster in question is a dragon or not. Auren became the youngest G-Rank hunter when he successfully slew a rampaging Elder Dragon known as the Shagaru Magala.

To make a long story short, the six-limbed dragon had been plaguing the caravan since it was a juvenile, its young form termed the Gore Magala by the guild. Everywhere the Gore Magala traveled, it shed scales that carried a highly contagious plague called "Frenzy". The disease drove other monsters insane, either killing them eventually or making them into deadly apex predators. Its effect on humans caused weakness and vulnerability to monster attacks. Eventually the guild managed to uncover records of an ancient Elder Dragon that carried Frenzy as well, and realized that the Gore was its juvenile form. Auren, who had the most experience fighting the Gore, was sent to face the Shagaru Magala in battle, and slew it in combat. After that, they spent quite a while hunting down the apex predators that survived the first stages of Frenzy, a deadly job in of itself.

But now he was bored. The caravan had decided to stop for now, in the city of Dundorma, to rest and recuperate from the combined effort it took to organize the hunt for the Shagaru and its leftovers, and Auren had nothing to do. There were simply too many hunters in the fortress city, requests were scarce and few in between. Not to mention because of Dundorma's tendency to be attacked by Elder Dragons, the garrison there was rather skilled in monster combat. Auren wasn't needed, despite his considerable skill.

"Doodle, you look bored." Sophia looked up from her sketchbook at Auren, who was sprawled on the floor in front of her. Sophia wore a green scholar's uniform styled in the standard Guild representative's dress code. She had neat black hair and wore a pair of black reading glasses. The two of them got along well, as Auren was one of the few people Sophia didn't drive away with her zealous curiosity in monsters. Well, the fact that she was extremely cute didn't hurt, either.

"Ugh..." Auren groaned. In this world, it was customary for people to address one another by title, so Auren was used to being called "Hunter" or "Caravan Hunter", but Sophia insisted in calling him a strange nickname that didn't seem to have any connection with himself. Not that he really minded.

Auren was a tall young man, standing over 6 feet, with short brown hair and a lean, childish face. He gave off the impression of a cheerful, outgoing individual. The people in this world were generally like him, and it was rare to find negative emotions despite the inherent dangers of living in a world inhabited by giant monsters. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the humans of this world were built strong, able to take hits from monsters while dishing out their own attacks.

"Jeez, Doodle, if you're so bored then you should go hunting something random! You don't need a request to go hunting! You just won't get paid. That's no big deal, right?" Sophia suggested, an excited light shining in her eyes.

"You just want me to hunt so you can sneak along and watch. Besides, there's nothing here TO hunt in the first place..." Auren rolled over and pushed himself up, standing and stretching at his full height.

"Ehehe, was I that obvious? But you're right, this place already has a big Guild presence. I'm not even needed!" Sophia grinned at him, before she clapped her hands together, "Oh! That's right, I found this in the mail for you this morning. I must've missed it or something, since the mailman doesn't come until tomorrow. Sorry!"

Sophia reached into a nearby pile of papers and pulled out an envelope. The envelope had no special markings or writing, just Auren's name on the outside.

"For me? I wonder who'd wanna write a random hunter like me?"

"Random? You're like, the best hunter in Dundorma right now! Maybe you have a fan!" Sophia suggested, patting him on the back.

"Maybe..." Auren took the envelope and walked back to his room, a portable home located in one of the wagons of the caravan. He frowned as he scanned its contents.

 _Do you, Hunter, wish to help others in their time of need? There are people who need your help, but they are far from your location. So much so, that if you decide to go, you'll be leaving everything you know behind, with no guarantee of return. I implore you though, your expertise in hunting would be indispensable in saving many lives. We need you. If you decide to help, bring two sets of armor, one for casual wear and one for dedicated hunting, along with weapons and supplies of your choice. After you finish packing, and only after, please circle yes. If you refuse, please circle no._

"What in the actual..." Auren scratched his head, before his face broke into a grin, "Well, this letter was addressed straight to me...so I guess I gotta help."

It's worth pointing out that Auren had a very simple mindset. He wanted to hunt to help others. But he wasn't helping others at the moment, and no one within his reach was in any danger. And now someone was asking for help. Why would he refuse? He followed the letter's instructions, packing up everything he normally brought on a hunt. He donned his favorite set of armor, the Barioth X armor, and packed away his Derring set for casual wear. As for weapons, he settled on a longsword and an insect glaive.

The clinching factor from the letter though, was that the letter stated that people's lives were at stake. This world didn't face that too often. Monsters didn't go out of their way to harm humans, and typically, fleeing works when threatened. Monster attacks were inconveniences more often than not, causing abandoned merchandise, canceled deliveries, etc. But this letter carried a tone of urgency for the young hunter, who in turn couldn't turn the unusual request down.

"Oh, I should say goodbye though. And explain myself to the Caravaneer." Auren knew they'd be disappointed to part ways with him, everyone in the caravan had become sort of a family to him, ever since he left his own to travel. The Caravaneer, especially, was like a father figure to him, "But before I forget, I should circle yes."

Auren took a pen and carefully circled the word "yes" on the letter. He was about to stick the letter back in the envelope so they could return it when he was suddenly hit with a wave of grogginess. He staggered a few steps towards the entrance, before everything faded to black.

That was two down. Order made a note that because of the peaceful, jolly nature of the people of this world, Auren might have a rude awakening when greeted by his fellow travelers or the citizens of Remnant. He also failed to realize that the letter he received was beyond suspicious. But Order was confident he would adjust and learn. Two more to go.

* * *

 **The Third World: Yharnam (Bloodborne)**

There was some semblance of choice for the first two chosen individuals. But there would be none for the third. The conflict in this world had already come close enough to shattering the borders of its reality. That could not happen again. The next chosen individual would make sure of it. Besides, it was either that, or death. If he truly wanted death over a second chance, then he would have to make that decision in Remnant, not here.

Gehrman fell, the strength leaving his body. His student stood over him, Gehrman's blood still on his blade.

Gehrman was the First Hunter. The man that led the fight against the abominations that plagued his home of Yharnam. However, he had fallen into the never-ending dream that all Hunters shared. It was his curse to send new hunters to fight, and then watch as they disappeared over time. No matter how many times they killed their adversaries, it was doomed to repeat. But this cycle had been broken. His newest student, nicknamed the Good Hunter, had rejected him in the end.

"Master, I will not fail to end this nightmare. Please, place your faith in me." Gehrman heard the Good Hunter speaking. It was pointless, Gehrman knew, the Good Hunter would just take his place instead. Gehrman would not wish the eternal dream upon anyone, and if his body was able to respond to him, he would've shed a tear for his student.

"You...you've freed me. But now..." Gehrman managed to choke out, coughing on his own blood. He looked at the Good Hunter with pity, surprising his student. A look of realization spread over the Good Hunter's face.

"Master, you're wrong. I'm not taking your place. I will end this nightmare once and for all." He explained, "This Great One will be the last to fall."

Gehrman's eyes widened in surprise. Could his protege truly have found a way to end the cycle of horror? If so, then he has accomplished even more than Gehrman himself, the man that started everything.

"Goodbye, Master. May you find peace in awakening." the Good Hunter picked up Gehrman's Burial Blade and custom-made blunderbuss, handing them to the dying old man to have in his final moments. Gehrman tried to speak, but no words came. The Good Hunter simply nodded and then left, his stride full of purpose. Gehrman lay alone, at the foot of the tree on the hill. To an observer, he would look like an old man resting on the grass, but his weapons gave him away as a fallen warrior. His hair was grey and long, his black coat, cloak, and little top hat were all old and tattered, beaten and weathered over time.

"Gehrman..." A female voice called out for him. The Plain Doll entered his view, his very own creation modeled after Maria, one of the most influential people in his life. She was looking down at him sadly, "The Good Hunter is doing what he believes is right. But even then...it does hurt seeing you on the ground like this, father."

Had he been able, Gehrman would've reached out and comforted her. It hurt to see Maria's sad face, even if the Doll wasn't truly her. Her expression changed however, from sadness to a serious one.

"When you wake up again, you'll be in a new place. A world you don't know anything about. But they need your help. The power of the blood can't be abused by those who were never meant to receive it." She started saying things that made no sense to Gehrman's fading mind, "I believe you can do it. You have more strength than you know. If not a leader, then a teacher. A guide for others with your wisdom. Please, what happened in Yharnam must not spread beyond its borders."

With those words echoing in his ears, Gehrman's consciousness left the Hunter's Dream forever. Never to return.

Three have been chosen. Now only one remains.

* * *

 **The Fourth World: Lordran (Dark Souls I)**

This was a tired world, one where Order and Chaos were not in direct conflict, but instead almost at perfect equilibrium. A world of endless cycles, where someone could be of both order and chaos, spreading both at the same time. It was difficult to know what effect this world's influence could have on Remnant. If those with malicious intent were to attempt to spread their influence in Remnant, it would be manageable. But if it was something like the spread of the Abyss...well, that would be an issue. To prevent this, this world's selection would be a steadfast guardian, one that would not falter no matter what.

Knight Artorias, or as he's better known, Artorias the Abysswalker. A knight who served gods that were very real, and very present during his life. A knight that fought against the Abyss when it threatened the world, before eventually being consumed by it. Now he stands alone, forever doomed to roam in insanity. At least, until the Chosen Undead arrived. Not unlike Gehrman of Yharnam, Artorias was released from his torment by death. Even corrupted, Artorias was a regal, imposing figure. He wore silver armor adorned by a blue cloak and hood, and was armed with a greatsword with ancient symbols engraved upon it. He had fought the Chosen Undead, Artorias using every ounce of skill, every power granted to him by his pact with the denizens of the Abyss, but in the end, he still fell.

"You won't be forgotten, Abysswalker. Your legend will live on..." Those words echoed in his locked mind, as his body faded from existence.

In the moment his soul should've moved on, he felt something reaching out for his soul. A plea for help. A plea for protection. There was no question about it. Artorias was a knight, and knight never abandoned those in need. He took his oath seriously, and to not answer the call with all his might would tarnish his honor even further. He would go, answering the plea, and fulfilling his duty. And so, his soul departed, but not for the afterlife, but for Remnant.

It was a straightforward request, answered by a straightforward person. Not difficult at all.

And with that, there were four.

* * *

 **The Fifth World: Remnant (RWBY)**

This was the moment Order decided that the rules of reality needed a little bending. Chaos was lucky. It could just throw its agents into a world, and they would spread chaos everywhere of their own accord. An agent of Order was different, they needed some form of guidance generally. And with the mess that's made when five worlds collide, there would need to be some pretty...direct guidance. Only initially, of course, after that and the bending of reality would cause more harm to the worlds than the agents of chaos would. There were two things that needed to be done. One, was to break in Remnant's new guests, and have them get to know each other. That wouldn't be too difficult. Two, someone on Remnant would have to be made aware of the threat they could be facing soon, and made aware that there were people here to help them against this new threat. Luckily, there was someone perfect for that role. A certain headmaster of one of Remnant's many combat schools should've just received a mysterious e-mail...

Talion woke with a start. It was nighttime. He was in a forest, not one he knew, but he instantly relaxed. A ranger was at home in the wild. Listening, he could hear the sound of the wind blowing between the trees, but oddly enough, no sounds of living creatures. The sky was clear and filled with stars, but Talion almost shouted in surprise when he saw the state of the moon. It was shattered, jagged and broken. If Talion needed proof he was in a new realm, this was it. Recovering from his initial shock, Talion rose to observe his surroundings.

Around him were three people, also in the process of waking up. As he stood up, however, he immediately sensed something wrong. His body wasn't the same as before. A quick glance a nearby puddle confirmed his suspicions. He had regressed in age, to around 17 or 18 years. With a shake of his head, he dismissed his initial confusion. Becoming a wraith had been much more jarring than a simple change of age.

He took a moment to observe the three individuals around him, and assess them for any threats. The first was someone dressed from head to toe in white armor, seemingly made out of parts from some kind of beast. The armor was sleek, and adorned by a white coat. He carried a rather lengthy sword on his back, but didn't have the stance or demeanor of someone who regularly saw combat on the battlefield. He was also quite tall. Talion also noticed that there was a rather large pack on the ground near this person. It looked like it was meant to be carried by a pack animal.

The second was a youth dressed some kind of black coat, done in a style Talion had never seen before. He had silver hair underneath a rather fancy-looking hat, and was armed with some kind of blade and a strange staff Talion was unfamiliar with. He had a certain dangerous elegance about him, like a cat stalking its prey. Talion realized that this person was also sizing him up, arriving at a similar conclusion.

The third was a warrior dressed in full bodied armor along with a blue cloak and hood, wielding a greatsword with symbols Talion couldn't read. He stood there silently, as if waiting for someone else to act first. He looked relaxed, but his sword was at the ready. Of all three of the strangers, Talion felt the most comfortable impression with this one. He reminded him of the Knights of Gondor. The only unsettling thing was that this person was even taller than the first person. He had to have been at least six and-a-half feet tall.

"Hey! You guys here to help out too? Not sure how I got here so fast, and I'm a bit mad I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone, but it's good to meet you all! I'm Auren, by the way." Talion heard a surprisingly young voice come from the one wearing the white beast armor. Then again, if they were all around the same age, they should all sound young.

"I am Talion of Gondor. I hail from Middle-Earth, to aid this realm against the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron." Talion introduced himself politely, bowing his head to the three strangers.

"I am called Knight Artorias, servant of Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight. I fight the darkness of the Abyss, which may yet threaten this world." The third person introduced himself. His voice was deep and strong, despite being a teenager, fitting for someone who holds the rank of knight.

"Gehrman, from a city called Yharnam. I hunt my enemies, and protect my people." The last person introduced himself. He took off his hat, and bowed courteously.

Talion had no idea what the Abyss was, and he definitely had questions for Auren and Gehrman about what was going on. Their introductions had caused more than enough questions to pop into the ranger's mind. But before he could say anything, Auren spoke up.

"Uh, wait. Where the heck are you guys from?" Auren looked around in confusion, "What's all this about darkness and dark lords? And some kinda sun lord?"

"It appears we're all from different lands, no, different worlds." Talion concluded, "If you need proof, then look up into the sky."

The other three looked up, and then proceeded to react in different ways. Though he was wearing a helmet, Talion was sure he could hear the sound of Auren's jaw dropping to his feet. Gehrman simply stiffened up in surprise, his eyes wide. But Artorias had the largest reaction.

"What has happened!? Has Lady Gwyndolin's power failed? This...this cannot be!" Artorias roared. He seemed ready to fight.

"Calm yourself! Whatever the moon was like in your home, it is now obvious that we are not there! This is an unfamiliar land for all of us." Talion calmed the knight down. Auren had covered his ears, while Gehrman wore a disapproving frown. Artorias had the decency to look a bit cowed for his outburst.

"Yes, you are correct. This realm must be in dire need of assistance of the celestial bodies are in danger." Artorias said, in a much calmer voice.

Their attention was suddenly caught by a flashing light near each of their respective feet. On the ground near each of them, were small rectangular devices that none of them recognized. However, for some reason, they were able to read the language of the text being displayed on the device.

 _Welcome to Remnant._

 _I'm sure you have your questions, but first, I wish to show my appreciation for accepting the burden of traveling to an unfamiliar land to help people you've never met. You are all from different worlds, meeting in this fifth world, Remnant. Remnant is in grave danger, and requires your assistance._

 _To begin with, this device is commonly used by the people of Remnant, it is called a "Scroll". It serves as a means of communication, but has many other functions you will become familiar with. The scroll you are currently reading this message on is yours to take. Do your best not to lose it._

 _You will learn more about this world from its inhabitants. The highest priority is for you to learn about one another. This text will be replaced by a set of pictures containing the faces of your three new companions, labeled by name. Using your finger to select one, you will be able to read about their world, who they are, and what they are capable of. Some of you have your secrets, but that will no longer be the case. To work perfectly as a team, there cannot be any doubt. Once again, do your best not to let emotions cloud your judgement._

 _Lastly, you may be wondering about who or what I am. What my motivation is for bringing you here. That does not matter. You will never hear from me again. I only wish for Remnant to find peace, and by extension, for your own worlds to find peace. Once you have finished viewing the information about your new companions, this scroll will turn off. When activated again, it will function like any other on Remnant._

 _Good luck._

Talion read all this with a raised eyebrow. Not only was this device much more powerful than any magic he'd ever seen, they were apparently being brought together by someone or something to fight for Remnant. The text disappeared, and true to its words, there were three pictures in its place. Talion looked up at the others, making sure everyone was on the same page.

"Shall we read?" Talion suggested, "We can discuss our stories and our situation after we follow those instructions."

"Sure. I got no problems." Auren agreed. Artorias and Gehrman nodded in agreement as well.

"Then, let's begin."

* * *

If it could, Order would wonder if it had been too forward or direct with its approach. After all, the four chosen ones most likely thought they were receiving divine instructions, or something in a similar train of thought. Not to mention that their bodies had also been altered to fit in better with their intended roles within Remnant. Age change was one thing, but that Artorias had to be switched from Gwyn's race to a human.

But none of that mattered in order to preserve the balance of the worlds. Chaos could not be allowed to gain the upper hand over Order. All that was happening was just leveling the playing field. Just for the sake of balance.

If it could, Order would be smiling triumphantly. But it couldn't. After all, Order was just a concept.

* * *

 **Holy moly, this took way more time to write than I thought. It's not even that long, either. Well, I hope you enjoy, and I hope you can see where this is going *wink* *wink***

 **That aside, anyone have any ideas for a team name for our four heroes? I'll be brainstorming that for a while, so any suggestions would be very, very helpful. Also I may or may not be doing pairings, depending on the direction the plot ends up going, but I won't discourage some ships starting to sail in the next few chapters ;)**


	2. An Open Invitation

**Chapter 1: An Open Invitation**

Auren was looking decidedly pale as he learned more about his new friends.

There were a couple reasons for this. First, was that they'd been through more horror in each their lives than Auren and everyone he knew combined. Second, the way he and the others learned about one another was not through reading, but instead through something his scroll called "video". It wasn't pleasant.

Talion, on the other hand, was also quite pale, but for different reasons. Whoever sent them here was able to see everything they'd done. And though the videos on the scrolls were just small snapshots of their lives, it was still unsettling to know their actions had been watched without their knowledge. Talion watched as Auren stood up, took off his helmet, revealing a young, innocent-looking boy, and ran off to vomit on the ground.

The video of Auren showed him fighting off a giant beast, some kind of orange wyvern with strong forelimbs and blue stripes _(Search: Tigrex)_. It was vicious and fast, but Auren's dexterous handling of his blade put an end to the creature quickly. Talion was impressed. He was trained to fight others of roughly the same size and intelligence, but it seemed Auren's experience in combat was purely to fight beasts that no others would dream of fighting. It reminded Talion of his old friend, Torvin, the dwarf that taught him how to defend himself against the wild beasts of Mordor.

"You are not used to the ways of war, I see." Talion walked over to Auren and laid a hand on his shoulder, "It will pass. Though they are both forms of combat, there is a strict difference between drawing blood in battle, and drawing blood in a hunt."

"How...how do you all live in those places?" Auren gasped out, having finished expelling his last meal.

Auren made eye contact with Gehrman. The First Hunter simply shrugged. He too, was impressed by Auren's abilities against the monsters of his own world, but whereas Auren's life as a hunter was to make a living or even for sport, Gehrman hunted due to a curse and the raw necessity of defending his home. They were very different kinds of hunter. Gehrman's own video consisted of him putting down some of the crazed inhabitants of Yharnam, driven mad by their miracle drug, called "The Blood". It was a rather routine culling when compared to the larger creatures that Gehrman was sometimes confronted by, but it had been enough to shake Auren up.

"We do what we must to survive." Gehrman said to the brown-haired youth, "It is simply the difference between your dream and my own."

"Dream?" Talion interjected, tilting his head in confusion.

"Ah, forgive me. The difference between your world and my own." Gehrman clarified.

Gehrman lapsed into silence after that. Aside from when he taught his students, Gehrman was generally a quiet individual. He enjoyed viewing the scenery, and becoming lost in his own thoughts. Currently, he was processing the information he'd received about his new companions. Talion, the one who seemed to take the lead in their conversations, was well-versed in the art of war and espionage, and quite deadly with the sword, dagger, and bow. He also fought the only organized foes out of the four of them: the Uruks of his world. Despite being ruthless on the battlefield, he was also a kind and compassionate man. He would've made a good hunter.

Talion took a moment to review the videos one more time. With a start, he realized that the videos were not entirely accurate. He had been an adult man back in Middle-Earth, but his own video showed him in his new body, much younger than before. He could only imagine how powerful a being would have to be to not only be able to show others the past, but change it to suit their needs. He also took a moment to wonder if the others were different before. He shook his head, the past is the past. What matters is what they do now.

Artorias, meanwhile, had been quiet the entire time. He stood tall, watching everyone impassively.

"Is something troubling you, friend?" Talion ventured a question. He knew now that Artorias was not some simple knight, but a commander. He also knew that Artorias was very serious, a role model for others. Artorias's video had shown him fighting dragons at first, which was impressive in its own right, but then it shifted to him fighting twisted creatures not entirely unlike Gehrman's experiences. The knight had been through a lot as well.

"No. I have seen these 'videos', and determined that we all stand together. We will defend this world." Artorias replied calmly. It seemed he'd decided to trust his new companions already, at least as far as comrades-in-arms go.

"Well, maybe we should learn more about how each of us fight. Maybe come up with some game plans?" Auren had returned, looking somewhat recovered now. He was a resilient person despite his innocence, and was now determined to make sure Remnant didn't have to go through the horrors his new friends had to face in the past.

"Plans? For a foe we've yet to meet?" Talion chuckled with amusement.

"Ah, good point." Auren flushed with embarrassment, smiling sheepishly.

"We may not have to wait long..." Gehrman suddenly straightened up, drawing his burial blade and readying his firearm. Everyone else immediately tensed. Once again, Talion noted the eerie silence of the forest. Even if it was nighttime, there should've been some sounds of life. But here...nothing. Then, out of the darkness, came creatures made of shadow. They resembled bipedal wolves, aside from strange bony white masks that glowed with some sort of red energy.

"You think they're friendly?" Auren pulled out his sword. It was a plain, but beautifully forged blue katana. No one else knew, but it was an extremely powerful blade forged with the element of ice, called the Yuki Ichimonji. One of Auren's favorite weapons.

"They are not of the abyss..." Artorias declared, leveling his own weapon at the creatures, "But they are evil. I can sense it."

"I can see it. They're abominations." Talion retorted, drawing his own sword and dagger. He had the most egalitarian weapons of the four them. His straight one-handed sword was named Urfael, beautifully forged and adorned. His dagger was his son's broken sword reforged as an elvish dagger, named Acharn. It had a deadly beauty to it.

"Then we hunt." Gehrman stated flatly. He aimed his blunderbuss at the closest one, and fired. The sound shocked the others, but the results were more impressive. One of the beast's heads exploded, the body dissipating as it collapsed to the ground. The other creatures took this as a cue to charge.

The battle had begun.

* * *

Headmaster Ozpin was not having the best of days. The grey-haired, middle-aged coffee addict was the leader of Beacon Academy, located in the country of Vale. He was tasked with training the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses that helped defend the world from vicious creatures known as the Grimm. A task he was quite good at. But what he didn't expect was the sudden changes his world was facing.

He'd been receiving disturbing reports all throughout the last week from all over the world. Vale's western neighbor, the desert country of Vacuo was having some trouble in the wild with random attacks from an unknown force. Ozpin was specifically informed that the attackers were "not Grimm". A blurry photo taken by one of Vacuo's huntsmen showed a rather hideously grotesque individual wielding some kind of old-styled axe or blade. Apparently these "people" were wandering the desert in packs, but some had even been spotted in the wilderness of southern Vale!

Another report came in with pictures of new, powerful Grimm that no one had seen before. They were appearing in droves on every continent, and some even seemed to be able to use dust-based attacks. Wolf-like beasts using lightning, shark-like beasts using ice, it was a grand mess. Even the Kingdom of Atlas, to the north, was having problems with Grimm that were adapted to live in cold regions.

And then there was the terrorist group, the White Fang. The inhabitants of Remnant could be split into two categories, human and faunus. Humans are self explanatory, while Faunus were simply humans that had some kind of animal characteristic. Unfortunately, that difference was enough to spawn a divide between the two races, and faunus were generally discriminated against. Those who were resentful came together and founded the White Fang. Notorious and dangerous, Ozpin was now receiving reports that they'd grown in power, and were using some kind of new drug to enhance their combat ability. Ozpin was growing concerned that the group would become more bold with their actions.

The last thing on Ozpin's mind were the reports coming in from the east, from the largest Kingdom, Mistral. Those reports stated that a few of the surviving settlements in the wild had suddenly gone dark. No word, no sign of their existence. The last message Ozpin received was a statement that they were getting ready to send out teams of their own to try and see what happened, and re-establish contact if possible.

All of these things had weighed heavily upon Ozpin's mind. Then he received a strange message. No sender designated, and the only text was a set of coordinates.

Ozpin frowned, the coordinates pointed to a spot in the Emerald Forest. The location he was going to use in the upcoming initiation for his incoming students. It was filled with Grimm. He was about to dismiss it as some kind of junk message, perhaps a clever student bypassed security and was pranking the others, but then he noticed an image attachment to the message. The image was labeled "New Arrival".

"...What!?" It was a single photo. Once again, it was bit blurry, but in it was someone fighting. Fighting against the perpetrators behind the attacks going on in Vacuo. Ozpin immediately grew suspicious. This needed to be investigated. A rapid series of troubling events, immediately followed by a strange photo concerning said events from an unknown source? Definitely suspicious.

Ozpin immediately requisitioned a bullhead (a mobile aerial vehicle), and sent a message to one of his most trusted teachers at the academy, Glynda Goodwitch. Luckily, the school year hadn't started yet, so they had a bit of leeway in terms of scheduling. In hindsight, Ozpin normally would've waited until the morning before going to investigate, but a gut feeling told him this was something urgent.

"You called, Headmaster?" Glynda Goodwitch was a very adult woman, that was formally, but still femininely, dressed. She had blonde hair, green eyes, and complete with a pair of glasses. She was known as one of the most strict, but fair teachers at Beacon Academy. And she was a veteran huntress.

"We're going to these coordinates. I don't know why or what we're going to see, but this is an urgent matter." Ozpin said, "I'm sure it has something to do with the rather...troubling news we've been receiving all week."

Glynda frowned at Ozmin's vague statements, but didn't say anything. She trusted his judgement, so she would just follow along obediently.

The trip to the mysterious coordinates passed in silence. The pilot was rather nervous, having been woken up late and night, and now transporting two of the most well-known and respected individuals in the kingdom. Ozpin was lost in thought, while Glynda was scanning the ground for any threats.

As they approached the destination, the pilot called out.

"I'm seeing Grimm here! And...what the- I've never seen huntsmen like this before!"

"Bring up the external camera feed! Focus on the battle." Ozpin commanded the pilot, "Stay far enough away that the strangers and the Grimm don't notice us."

"Uh...Okay, I got it." The pilot briefly wondered why they didn't immediately go to help, but he followed his orders.

Glynda and Ozpin had a large projection appear in front of them. What they saw was the most mismatched group of people they'd ever laid eyes on slaughtering the Grimm rather easily. One of them, a long-haired boy wearing woodsman clothing, was darting quickly between the Grimm, cutting and stabbing with a sword and dagger. Every so often, he'd conjure a glowing blue bow and fire blue arrows of light at the Grimm.

"His semblance?" Glynda asked aloud. The inhabitants of Remnant used an energy called Aura for protection and fighting, with the unique manifestation of a person's Aura was called their Semblance. It typically consisted of some kind of ability or power.

Ozpin immediately recognized the boy as the individual in the photo. Though the face had been blurred, the clothing was identical. Then who were the others? The knightly-looking one was swinging his large sword around like it was a toothpick, scattering the Grimm with each blow. He was straightforward and skilled, no hint of deception in his movements. The one with the black coat moved violently and savagely, his blade switching constantly between a sword and scythe, his other arm using a primitive firearm to blow the Grimm apart. Ozpin mentally increased the number of skilled scythe users he knew to three, taking a moment to marvel at how the count had only been one less than a month ago.

Before he could think further, a loud roar echoed throughout the forest. It sounded like a mix between a giant bear roaring and a wolf howling. To his surprise, one of the new Grimm Ozpin had been warned about came charging through the forest. It was even more terrifying in person. It was a quadruped Grimm, muscular and heavy in the torso, with a long flat tail. It had a pair of horns, and each limb looked to be armored as well. _(Note: You can look up the Zinogre on google. Imagine that, except all black with the bony golden parts replaced by the white bone of the Grimm, and you can see what I was going for)_

Almost immediately, the last of the fighters, a boy in white armor, gestured for the others to back off. His armor, though beautiful, looked to be made of animal parts rather than metal, but he wielded an extremely long katana with practiced ease. The other three continued fighting the smaller Grimm, giving the boy space to face the new arrival. The new Grimm suddenly jumped and spun in the air, sending balls of lightning at the boy. Ozpin had no doubt, these Grimm could use or at least copy the power of Dust. It was unthinkable.

But Ozpin was even more surprised when the boy easily dodged past the rapid projectiles, as if he knew they were coming. With a clean slash of his blade, the horns of the Grimm went flying. It let loose a cry of rage, attempting to stomp the boy with its massive forelimbs. The boy foresaw this too, and simply rolled between the attacks, ending up behind the creature. With another slash, the tail went flying as well. The beast continued to struggle, using rapid movements that even Ozpin would have trouble reacting to, but the boy simply dodged them all. As the fight dragged on, the boy's sword began to glow. It started out with a white glow, turned yellow, and as the fight concluded it was glowing an angry red.

The end result was a dissipating Grimm, and the end of the battle. Ozpin saw the others moving to congratulate the boy, who was easily the one who fought the most dangerous Grimm there. Both Ozpin and Glynda wondered if the glowing sword had something to do with his Aura or Semblance.

But that wasn't he main thing on Ozpin's mind. Two of the four major issues that had been plaguing him now had individuals associated with them. The first boy was shown in combat against Vacuo's raiders, and now the new Grimm were proven to be defeatable by the white armored boy. It wouldn't surprise him if the other two were somehow tied with the last two issues. Ozpin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I think it's time we introduce ourselves."

* * *

Talion knew his impression was right. Auren seemed to recognize the monster that appeared in the middle of their fight, and easily defeated it. Despite his inexperience, the boy would be an important part of the team. With Auren's competency confirmed, and Gehrman's and Artorias's performance in the fight, Talion realized that they made quite the dangerous group.

"Excellent hunting," Gehrman said with approval. Auren flushed at the praise. It would've been a strange scene, since they all appeared to be the same age, but Auren had gleaned that Gehrman was much older than he appeared. And much more experienced.

"The forces of darkness stand no chance. We've been chosen for a reason." Artorias agreed. The knight's straightforward camaraderie was quite refreshing to Talion, who'd spent a long time away from his fellow men, making him crack a smile.

"These creatures, none of you recognized them?" Talion asked.

"Aside from the weird Zinogre subspecies, I've never seen any of those things before." Auren replied as he and the others shook their heads in response.

"Zinogre? Subspecies?" Talion frowned at the unfamiliar terms.

"Ah, it's a monster from my world. Subspecies are classifications we use for different kinds of the same monster. I've never seen it look like that though. All shadowy with those creepy bones all over. Not to mention...something felt off..." Auren mimicked Talion's frown as he thought back to the fight, "Zinogre are territorial, and very proud creatures. They typically look down on those smaller than them, but they only really fight against those they perceive as threats. That one...it just went after us with all its strength. Like it was full of hate. It moved like one, attacked like one, but it didn't _act_ like one, if that makes sense."

"We can only assume these creatures are a part of this world. As for why there is one that resembles a creature you know, we'll most likely find out later." Artorias stated. To him, it didn't make sense to waste time guessing about things they had no idea about. They were all new to this world. Before anyone could argue, Gehrman stiffened.

"Someone's here." Gehrman growled, readying his weapon once again. Everyone tensed once again, ready to fight against more of the shadowy monsters.

"Ah, my apologies. I did not meant to startle you." Ozpin emerged from behind some trees along with Glynda. They had disembarked from the bullhead before coming to greet their new guests, so as not to startle them. Ozpin had the very distinct impression they weren't used to technology judging from the way they dressed and the weapons they used. He took the opportunity to take a closer look at these strange boy's faces.

The woodsman had a fresh, easygoing face that was full of confidence. Combining this with his long hair and you got a standard relaxed male teenager. Almost disarmingly so. One wouldn't guess that he fought with a brutal efficiency and elegance that few hoped to emulate.

The one in the black coat looked withdrawn and thoughtful. He had silver-white hair, and his demeanor gave off a learned impression. Once again, anyone's initial impression would've been wrong. He fought with ferocity and savagery hidden underneath his calm facade, almost like a beast.

The white armored one was easy to read. He was youthful, innocent-looking, and his attitude was the same. His skill with the sword might be surprising to some, but there wasn't a drastic contrast like the first two Ozpin observed.

Unfortunately, the last one had his face covered. He was big though, almost overwhelmingly so. His body language indicated strict discipline, and his fighting style was forceful, but not reckless. This one seemed to have military-styled training. Ozpin let these thoughts pass through his head as he and Glynda approached. The four of them were rather jumpy, it seemed.

"Wow, what a beauty." Auren gave a look of surprised appreciation when he saw Glynda. Her glasses and figure reminded him of a colder, more serious-looking Sophia.

"..." The immediate tension dissipated as everyone turned to look at Auren with disbelief.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" Auren grimaced, proceeded to stick his helmet back on his head, and shrunk away to the back of the group. If they'd been relaxing, Talion would've laughed aloud. Instead, he turned to face Ozpin.

"Who are you?" Talion asked, his initial scan of the two newcomers showing that they didn't have any hostile intent, at least not in their body language.

"I'm Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. I train the up and coming huntsmen and huntresses of the Kingdom of Vale." Ozpin introduced himself, giving a small bow and sweep with his cane.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch, I'm an instructor at Beacon Academy." Glynda gave a polite nod, "What are young men like yourselves doing out here at this time? The Grimm have the advantage at night."

"Grimm...is that what those shadow beings are called?" Talion asked.

"That's right. You've never seen them before?" Glynda gave them a puzzled look. Grimm were everywhere in the world, as far as she knew. How could this be their first time fighting them?

"They do not exist in our worlds." Artorias answered for Talion, "But if they threaten this one, we will stand and fight against them."

"Well, you can definitely fight...wait, did you 'in our worlds'?" Ozpin looked at them in disbelief. Talion stepped forward, a wry smile on his face.

"I believe introductions are in order. I am Talion of Gondor, I hail from a land called Middle-Earth." Talion performed a customary bow, "I was sent here to fight against the Dark Lord Sauron, who is planning to assault this world of Remnant."

Before Ozpin or Glynda could question him further, Artorias introduced himself.

"You may call me Knight Artorias. My home is in Lordran, in the city of Anor Londo. In my last moments, I was sent to help the people of this world against the darkness that plagues it." Artorias inclined his head in greeting.

"I'm Auren. Uh, I hunt monsters." Auren, who had removed his helmet once again, scratched the back of his head and gave a small smile, "We don't really have a name for our world. But my home is in Moga Village."

"My name's Gehrman. Just an old hunter trying to stop what happened in my home of Yharnam from happening here." Gehrman took off his hat and bowed.

"...I've never heard of any of those places." Glynda replied flatly, rubbing her temples in consternation.

"As Artorias said, we are not from Remnant." Talion said.

"That doesn't make any sense! At all! First, how-" Glynda's rant was cut off by Ozpin raising his arm to hold her back. Ozpin's mind was once again on full overdrive. He was going to need some extra servings of coffee to keep him alive at this rate. It was all coming togethernow, Ozpin had lived for much longer than he appeared, and in the last week alone, the world had changed more than it did in the 80 years since the Great War. If other worlds were influencing Remnant...that was definitely a possible explanation.

"We'll get the details sorted out later. Is it safe to say you boys are foreigners looking to fight the Grimm?" Ozpin asked. He gave a cursory glance at Artorias though, as it was impossible to tell the knight's age through the shadowed hood and helmet he wore.

"Don't tell me..." Glynda began before Ozpin silenced her with his knowing grin. The lady gave a small huff and turned away, pouting. Ozpin returned his attention to the newcomers.

"Yes, that's correct." Talion confirmed. Ozpin nodded approvingly.

"How old are you boys?" The headmaster wanted to be sure they fit the bill before extending his invitation to them.

"Seventeen." Talion answered immediately, shooting a stealthy glance at the other three to not say anything. A glance that did not go unnoticed by Ozpin, but he decided to let it drop.

"I see. If you don't mind, Sir Artorias, can we see your face? We'll need to take pictures for identification later, anyways." Ozpin asked. He just wanted to make sure the knight wasn't actually some hairy middle-aged man passing off as a teenager. That would be embarrassing later on.

"I understand." Artorias moved to take off his metal helmet and remove his hood. Everyone present was looking at him curiously, none of them had seen his face yet. Once the hood was pulled back, it revealed a broad-faced, chiseled boy with wavy dark blonde hair. He looked like a picture perfect athlete. And he did appear to be seventeen years old as well. Which did beg the question of how he was a full-fledged knight where he came from. Ozpin's hunch that the boys were hiding something grew.

"If I might ask, Master Ozpin, how did you find us? Like Lady Goodwitch pointed out, why would you be out here at night?" Talion returned the earlier question against the two of them.

"Maybe you have an answer for me? I received a strange message on my scroll with this location designated. When I came out to investigate, I found you all fighting off that pack of Beowolves and that large wolf Grimm." Ozpin replied with his own inquiry, leaving out the photo he also received, before realizing his mistake, "Oh, I'm sorry, you probably don't know what a scroll is."

Before he could go on to explain, Talion reached into his pouch and brought out a small scroll. "We found these on the ground near us when we arrived. These devices are said to be common in this world."

"Ah yes, that's a scroll. I guess you already have your own then." Ozpin gave a puzzled frown, "Did you manage to activate it? Any messages or anything?"

"None, as far as I can tell." Talion lied, he knew instinctively that Ozpin would react suspiciously if it felt like someone was pulling the strings. Because Talion felt the same. Despite his desire to fight the dark lord, he didn't like the idea that someone had masterminded their arrival. But he came to accept it with a grain of salt. Celebrimbor had been manipulating him to fight against Sauron, but it had turned out for the best. Hopefully this would be the same. "None of us have ever used such a device before. Though when we selected the 'videos' prompt, we were able to see ourselves on the scroll. It is how we learned about one another so quickly, despite only being in Remnant and meeting each other for the first time a few hours ago."

"Videos?" Ozpin's curiosity was instantly piqued. But he realized they'd been standing in one place for too long. "Before we continue exchanging information, perhaps we should move to a more secure location?"

"Agreed." the silent Gehrman spoke up, "I feel more of those beasties coming in. We should settle in before fighting some more of them."

"Right, lead the way." Talion nodded at the headmaster.

"Follow me then." Ozpin and Glynda turned towards where the bullhead had landed them, the boys picking up their luggage and following along.

"What do you think, Artorias? They seem pretty cool, right?" Auren was hanging around the back with Artorias (far away from Glynda), who had unofficially taken up a rearguard position.

"The old man is shrewd, I've seen many of his kind. But his words seem honest. The woman, however, is a fighter, through and through. If we are fighting the same foe, I would feel safe with her at my back." Artorias replied with clear honesty, while scanning the surroundings for any Grimm.

"Uh, sure. I'll trust your words on that one, pal." Auren didn't know how to read people, so he simply shrugged in agreement. Talion and Gehrman both overhead, and were inclined to agree. Each of their respective experiences told them that while Ozpin was harboring his own secrets, he was an ally, not an enemy.

The group of four stopped when they saw the vehicle Ozpin had led them to. The bullhead was hovering above them, landing and opening up as they approached.

"Wow! That beats the airships at home any day!" Auren shouted excitedly, "I don't know how it's even flying, but that is sooo cool!"

Talion had received another shock. The scrolls were one thing, but to find out these people traveled by flying? It was just so different from what he was used to. Then again, he'd heard stories about allies riding the great eagles, or enemies riding the fell beasts. He supposed he could trust an invention of man over a wild creature.

Gehrman was surprised, but, well, it took a lot for him to lose his composure. Likewise, Artorias was literally from a race of (self-proclaimed) gods. Flight wasn't so far-fetched.

"You have airships where you're from, Mister Auren?" Ozpin asked bemusedly.

"Yeah, but they're just some hot air balloons. Nice rides, but slow." Auren liked flying, but he didn't like flying for days, or even weeks when there wasn't anywhere to make port.

"Well, you're in for a fast and smooth ride." Ozpin gestured at the group to follow him and Glynda on board. Once everyone was settled (the pilot gave a small "hi" when the rather dangerous-looking strangers boarded), the discussion resumed.

"These are the videos." Talion fumbled with his scroll for a bit, before handing it over to Ozpin. Almost immediately, Ozpin and Glynda were absorbed in watching the videos. They were pretty much all the evidence Ozpin needed to conclude that these suspiciously convenient travelers were the answer Remnant's new problems.

 _Talion. He's waged war against these raiders, Uruks as he calls them in his world. That kind of firsthand experience in invaluable. Not to mention his strange abilities. There're no other humans in this short video, but I wager they can't all do what he's doing to the Uruks. Otherwise why would the Uruks even be a threat in the first place? I wonder how old he was when he first went to war...I'd hate for my students to go through the same thing._

 _Auren. Those new Grimm species. They seem to have been adapted from the wildlife of his world. This tiger-dragon, and that wolf-beast have both been confirmed as new species of Grimm. From what I know, they're giving a fair bit of trouble to even veteran huntsmen. We'll need to learn from him how to fight these new Grimm._

 _Gehrman. I don't know for sure, but this "blood" that plagues his city of Yharnam might have something to do with that new drug the White Fang are using. Damn, this is more complicated than I first thought. Not only will the White Fang have an edge, but they might even turn into monsters more horrifying than the Grimm...I wouldn't wish that on anyone._

 _Artorias. What in the world, this boy is literally an actual knight. Not just a freshly knighted one, either. He was a leader of men, slayer of beasts. Hm, I can't see a connection between this video and Mistral's problem, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was one. This clinches it. All four of them, except maybe Auren, are most likely hiding their age. These videos...well, I don't think they edited them themselves, but something is definitely happening here. The real question is whether I should be looking the gift horse in the mouth or not..._

Ozpin was completely lost in thought. Noticing this, the four boys were minding their own business and resting quite peacefully. The headmaster was right, the bullhead was indeed giving them a nice, smooth ride.

Glynda, on the other hand, was sick to her stomach with horror and disgust. She didn't have Ozpin's analytical mind, so to her, all she saw was young men forced to confront the stuff of nightmares. Well, once again, aside from Auren. But even his activities seemed borderline insane. Taking on those giant monsters alone? If Glynda were there, she would let everyone have a piece of her mind! But at least she no longer doubted that they were eligible to attend Beacon Academy once Ozpin invites them. He would have to explain his theories to her later.

Ozpin shook off his worries, the short-term consequences outweighed the possible long-term ones this time. He was already beginning to organize a new curriculum in his head, one that incorporated the knowledge of the four boys. He would also have to make them students, probably passing them off as foreigners from some fringe settlement, so they could learn more about Remnant and the Grimm. The real problem is how to work in all the new content without it being too suspicious. The new Grimm was one thing, but no one's ever even heard of an Uruk-hai, and that drug, "Blood", is supposed to be a new product...well, he'll figure it out.

"I'd like to make a proposition to you all." Ozpin cleared his throat, getting the attention of the world travelers, "As I said before, I'm the headmaster of Beacon Academy. The purpose of my academy is to train huntsmen and huntresses to fight against the Grimm, and protect the peace of the world. You all seem very capable, but since you're unfamiliar with this world, I would like to extend an invitation for you all to enroll at Beacon."

Glynda was watching silently, content to let Ozpin do the talking.

"No way, really!?" Auren was grinning widely, "I've never been to an academy before! Had to learn on my own, y'know?"

Ignoring Auren, an unspoken conversation went on between the other, more...observant, three members of the group. They'd been thinking about what to do while Ozpin and Glynda had been watching the videos. They needed more information about Remnant, along with a way to join with its defenders and share their knowledge. They had no way of knowing Ozpin had arrived at the same conclusion. Gehrman and Artorias nodded, and Talion turned back to face Ozpin.

"We will gladly accept your offer, Master Ozpin." Talion replied before turning serious, "We have reason to believe the foes we faced in those videos may become threats to Remnant. If you could let us explain to someone in power..."

"Oh, I'm well aware. I plan to have you give some lectures yourselves, even though you'll still be enrolled as students. Your knowledge will be indispensable in arming ourselves for the coming conflict." Ozpin reassured them. Talion was surprised that the headmaster was already aware of what was going on. Perhaps he was more than a simple schoolteacher.

"Then, we are in your debt. Alone, we would not stand a chance. With the backing of a respected scholar, and maybe even Remnant's own forces, we may yet turn the tide." Artorias knelt down in gratitude, bowing his head.

"Now now, no need to be so formal." Ozpin smiled amicably, "I'll make some arrangements when we get back. Like the other students, you will receive a room to live in during your time at the academy. Normally, the students are separated into teams of four during the initiation test, but you'll be exempt from that. I'll make up a believable excuse for that. However, you will have to participate in the initiation. I don't doubt your skills, but there is no other choice."

"I have no issues with this." Talion nodded, "It wouldn't be fair to the other students."

"Exactly. Also, Remnant is quite big, and largely uninhabited. There are many places that are unexplored." Ozpin informed them, "I'll be having you pass as foreigners to the kingdom from isolated settlements. This will explain your lack of general knowledge, and indirectly explain your fields of expertise. We can scrape by with the explanation that your...*ahem*... issues, were largely local threats until recently, when they began to spread to the rest of Remnant."

"We will defer to your judgement, but I doubt that facade can be kept up for too long." Talion pointed out. There was only so much that people's imagination could be stretched. Dealing with Uruk raiding parties was one thing, but once people saw the level of war industry the Uruks could achieve, there would be questions about how they'd never heard of such a threat before. Talion shuddered at the memory of the Uruk spawning pits.

"Of course. But as long as questions are answered, we can escape prying eyes." Ozpin countered, "Everyone will be too busy dealing with the problem to look too closely at their problem-solvers."

"I understand." Talion noted idly that he had somehow become the de facto leader of their group. Artorias also spoke up every once in a while, but Gehrman was too withdrawn, and Auren too naive. They were all content to let Talion, a former captain, speak for them. Artorias was also a suitable candidate, but he didn't mind being a follower either. The leader of the knights of Gwyn had been Ornstein, not him. Besides, Artorias's idea of leadership was to lead the charge and show his men how it was done. Not exactly the best plan for every situation.

"Ah, we're here." Ozpin stood up as the bullhead landed. As Talion and the others exited, they were greeted by the castle-like buildings of Beacon Academy. The craftsmanship was impressive, but unfortunately for the architects behind Beacon, all four of them were quite used to beautiful structures.

Talion thought of the White City, and its tall white walls, built to fight against the darkness of Mordor. Auren did marvel a little at Beacon, but he was familiar with the fortress city of Dundorma, with walls and defenses made to withstand assaults from Elder Dragons, so the architecture was less exciting to him than the prospect of becoming a student at a fancy academy. For Gehrman, only Yharnam's distinct look could put him at ease and impress him. Artorias didn't even need to be mentioned. The city of Anor Londo was by far one of the most impressive feats of architecture, even among other worlds.

Seeing the lack of reaction from them made Ozpin a bit disappointed, he was quite proud of his precious academy, after all. But he recovered quickly.

"The initiation is coming up in a few days. Get some rest tonight, but we'll need to run some tests before the initiation to see how well you can adapt to Remnant." Ozpin told them, "The most important thing being Aura, the power everyone in Remnant uses to defend themselves or fight their opponents."

Ozpin was curious about whether these boys already used some form of Aura already in combat, or if their abilities stemmed from another source. If they didn't have Aura yet, it would need to be awoken. Regardless, he just needed to know more about them, so he could make plans accordingly.

"We will follow your instructions. I look forward to learning more about Remnant." Talion replied.

"Good." Ozpin nodded in satisfaction, before turning to Glynda, "Ms. Goodwitch, be a dear and escort these fine young men to their temporary quarters, please."

"Follow me." Glynda instructed them, walking towards the dormitory. She didn't quite know what to say to them, but she was aware of how helpful they would be. Ozpin had been agonizing over his lack of information concerning recent events, and now he had a source, several sources, to help him solve the issues.

"So what do you teach, Miss Glynda?" Auren asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm a combat instructor." Glynda answered in a neutral tone, "I help guide my students in a controlled environment so they will be better prepared for the world out there."

"A good occupation." Gehrman interjected with a murmur, a nostalgic expression on his face. Everyone looked at him curiously, but Gehrman had already returned to his withdrawn self.

"You fight against these Grimm in your class?" Artorias asked her.

"No, that is the focus of another class. My class revolves around sparring and fighting one another." Glynda explained.

"Why would you need to do that?" Auren asked curiously, "The Grimm are what you come to this school to fight, right?"

"Not exactly. Like Ozpin said, we also keep the peace. Our students have to be prepared to deal with criminals and the like, too." Glynda replied. She was beginning to warm up to Auren. It looked like he would be a curious student who was interested in learning.

"Oh, so that's how it is. I've never fought another person, so that'll be something new to look forward to." Auren smiled and nodded, accepting the instructor's explanation. By this time, they had arrived at the guest room.

"You'll be staying here until the initiation, after that, you'll be given an official team room. Any questions?" Glynda looked around. When no one spoke up, she continued, "Ozpin wants you to report to the training rooms after breakfast tomorrow. You can find a map of the academy on your scrolls, Ozpin took your contact information while we were watching the videos."

"Map...map..." Talion was still getting used to navigating the strange device, "Ah, found it. Thank you very much, Lady Goodwitch."

"How did you know what Ozpin wanted? He didn't give any instructions to us or you before we parted ways." Artorias asked with some surprise.

"Oh, you can send messages through your scroll. I checked it as we were walking here." Glynda pulled out her own scroll and showed them.

"Impressive. Instant communication." Artorias said approvingly. He immediately saw the tactical value such technology could have.

"Like I said, we now have your contact information. If we need to reach you, we'll send you messages through your scrolls." Glynda reiterated. After making sure they understood how to work their scrolls, she turned to leave, "Have a good night. Regardless of where you come from, I feel you will be a great addition to the academy."

With that, she was gone. The boys were quite surprised to hear that from the teacher. She didn't shy away from conversation, but she seemed stiff and a bit cold in her demeanor. Hearing a sudden compliment like that, well, it lifted their spirits.

"This seems like the best place to be right now. I can only hope that we can prepare these people in time." Talion said as they unpacked, now that they were alone.

"They already know how to fight. We will only be here to assist." Artorias pointed out. In his view, they were going to confront their enemy alongside the defenders of Remnant. The four of them weren't the heroes of this mission.

"Whoa, these beds are really comfortable!" Auren ignored them, spread himself all over his chosen guest bed, and promptly passed out.

Gehrman gave an amused chuckle, like a parent watching over their kid, before addressing Talion.

"This school will serve as a guide. If we need to move, it will be after we learn what we need to." He stated simply. He then followed Auren's example, albeit in a more calm manner, and went to sleep.

"You're right. Let's get some rest then." Talion agreed, turning out the lights (he learned from watching Glynda turn on the lights), and going to lay down. He heard Artorias do the same.

Auren was right, the beds were indeed comfortable. Talion thought about everything that'd happened since he parted ways with Celebrimbor. It was unbelievable. Luckily for him, he was quite the adaptable individual. But he did have one last thought as he slipped into slumber's embrace.

 _We will not lose._


	3. Meetings

**Hello, this chapter is a re-upload, so apologies if you've already read it. It seems fanfiction is having some issues with the update date changing, so I'm trying to get around that. Hope you're enjoying the story so far!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Meetings**

Ozpin was surprised. No, he was amazed. Everything had gone exceptionally smoothly.

He, Glynda, Talion, Artorias, Auren, and Gehrman were all in Beacon Academy's training facility. Specifically, they were in a room meant for sparring that was equipped with the machinery to monitor the statuses of the fighters.

Auren was the first notable. Apparently, whatever abilities he used in his world were akin to Aura, so he didn't have to have his awakened.

"So, you've never trained using Aura before?" Ozpin asked him.

"Nope, no idea what you're talking about. I've always been able to take a beating from monsters before I get evacuated during a hunt. It's that way for the other hunters too. Deaths are uncommon where I come from." Auren shrugged, he and Ozpin were watching his video of him fighting the Tigrex again. There was a moment where he slipped up and the Tigrex swiped him with the full force of its claw. As he said, he didn't have any visible injuries, or even damage on his armor afterwards. Just some slight disorientation.

"As for attacking, we get cool powers whenever we use a certain type of weapon. Like my longsword, my attacks become faster, stronger, and sharper as I fight. It glows too, which is awesome. I also brought an insect glaive, which has a whole different set of abilities. And a cool bug." Auren gestured vaguely at his sword, "But most weapon abilities need targets though. I can't really show you unless I'm fighting a monster. Sorry!"

"I see..." Ozpin looked the boy up and down critically. His current hypothesis was that Auren's power came naturally, and was similar to Aura, but was not exactly the same as the power the people of Remnant used. However, because of the overlap, he didn't have an Aura to awaken. His weapon abilities could be called his semblance, but since semblances were supposed to be unique per person, it wasn't quite the same either. Well, as long as he had an aura reading, he could pass off as a student. No issues there. It was worth noting that the scanners picked up his Aura as colorless, though. What that meant remained to be seen.

The other three did not have their Aura awakened, or anything similar to Aura from their worlds. As a result, Ozpin had Glynda activate their Auras. Said Glynda was now taking a nap in the corner of the room, but not before glaring at Ozpin until he got the message. She'd never been so exhausted before in her life.

"Ahem, well, how're you boys feeling?" Ozpin asked the other three after he'd finished grinning apologetically at Glynda. He wasn't really sorry, but his apology served as an acknowledgement for her hard work.

"I feel...powerful," Talion replied. To him, it felt like he was overflowing with the power of the wraith. Before, he could temporarily use bursts of wraith energy to stop injuries, like when jumping from high heights to the ground. Now, he felt like he was always defended by that energy. His Aura was a pale blue, glowing brightly. "This will be very useful. It doesn't seem to inhibit my other abilities either."

"Well, that's good. What about you, Gehrman?" Ozpin asked the silver-haired youth.

"I can conserve my blood vials. Very Useful." Gehrman said approvingly, his aura glowing a deep bloody crimson. That color was a bit disconcerting. Ozpin had also gleaned from the First Hunter that the drug he used was really a kind of blood, a special type they used as a miracle medicine in Yharnam. However, there was a slight unfortunate side effect of turning people into rampaging abominations. Gehrman had told him hunters like him were meant to hunt the berserk citizens down, but since they used the blood as well, they ran the risk of being infected as well. Not pleasant business at all. Especially if the White Fang was using the same stuff. There would be a public outcry if the source was found out.

"Right, wouldn't want that blood of yours to become too widespread." Ozpin grimaced before turning to the last boy, "And you, Artorias?"

"This Aura is a great boon. It will help make up for my missing greatshield." Artorias stated. It seemed he appreciated the defensive value of Aura, his own glowing a blinding yellow, like sunlight. Strangely though, his Aura sometimes flickered with streaks of black. Ozpin was sure it had something to do with the shadow-like powers he had seen Artorias use in his video.

"Good. Now you can all pass off properly as students." Ozpin clapped his hands together, "I won't ask you to show me your hidden abilities yet, but I do hope that you would not hold back if this Academy or its students are put in danger."

"Of course. People's lives are more important than petty secrets." Artorias answered for the group. The others nodded in agreement, having already discussed this issue when they woke up in the morning.

Talion was still keeping his secrets concerning domination and branding, Gehrman and the art of Quickening (though he was sure it wasn't a big deal), and Artorias about the truth of his abyssal abilities. Auren didn't have anything to hide, but he couldn't show Ozpin any skills without a target, so that was a moot point. These weren't horrible secrets, they just didn't want to scare Ozpin or anyone else into suspecting them. Cooperation was built on trust.

Talion, mainly, was worried about whether he could use his domination on other things besides Uruks in this world. If so, his ability would definitely need to be secret. It wouldn't do for others to know he could literally take control of other being's minds. Artorias shared a similar concern. He fought the abyss, using the abyss. If others found out about that, they might grow suspicious of him.

"That's good to hear. I'll be looking forward to your accomplishments here at the academy." Ozpin said, "The students will begin arriving today. I know you just settled into your guest room, but I'll be having you stay with them tonight. Everyone will be sleeping in the ballroom. Tomorrow is the initiation."

"Understood." The boys nodded in acknowledgement.

"Well, until the orientation this afternoon, you all are free to do as you like. Mr. Artorias, I believe you said something about a missing greatshield? You're free to visit the forgemaster on campus to see if he could make one for you. Don't worry, it'll be paid for by the scholarship I just made up for you all." Ozpin said, smiling wryly, "But do try not to abuse my financial aid, though."

"We're grateful your assistance, Headmaster." Talion bowed, the rest of his group following suit.

"Glad to be of service. Enjoy the rest of your day, boys." Ozpin was about to turn to leave before remembering another issue, "One last thing, Auren and Artorias, it's not uncommon for students to wear armor, but I'll have to ask you not to cover your faces. It's a social thing."

The two of them looked a bit surprised, but it wasn't a particularly difficult request for either of them.

"Got it. I brought another set of equipment I can wear anyways." Auren said, remembering that he packed his Derring armor as well. If it really came down to it, he could just wear the Barioth X armor without the helmet, but in his opinion, it wouldn't look as cool.

"Understood." Artorias took off his helmet, lowered his blue hood, and then put his helmet back on. His hood had a strange effect of casting a black shadow over his face, so no one could see it. Without the hood, everyone could see his face. He still made an imposing figure with his full body armor and ornamental helmet, though.

"That's acceptable. Then, I'll see you boys later." Ozpin collected a drowsy Glynda and left, the two of them heading back to the faculty rooms in the school's tower.

"According to this schedule, the students will begin arriving in two hours. I'm going to take the opportunity to check the layout of the school in person." Talion said as he navigated his scroll, "It's better than just having a map."

"I will take up the offer to get a new shield. My arm feels empty without one." Artorias declared.

"Uh, I'll go change. And then I guess I'll hang out while waiting for the students to arrive." Auren said.

"I will do some scouting on my own." Gehrman said, straightening up.

"Then, let's meet up in the orientation hall when the time comes." Talion suggested, the others nodding in agreement. The four of them left the training facility, going their separate ways.

* * *

"Wow, you're a pretty good artist, son." The forgemaster was looking at Artorias's sketch of his greatshield, "It's a bit fancier than most pieces of equipment that get made here, but I can do it. I've never heard of this 'titanite' you're talking about, but I'll be using the highest grade steel we have available. If that shield breaks in the next fifteen years, I'll eat my furnace."

"I am in your debt, forgemaster." Artorias inclined his head respectfully.

"Don't mention it. Ozpin's footing the bill anyways." the forgemaster was a bearded middle-aged man, tanned from his long hours working with metals and armors. He eyed Artorias critically, "That armor of yours, I've never seen anything like it."

"I'm not from any of the Four Kingdoms. My home is far away, and lost forever." Artorias replied truthfully.

"Ah...sorry for bringing it up." the forgemaster frowned apologetically, "Well, it looks like well-made stuff. May it keep you safe."

"I will keep myself safe, along with everyone at this Academy and beyond." Artorias replied with fire in his eyes.

"Haha, that's the spirit!" the forgemaster clapped Artorias on the back, forgetting the boy was covered in metal armor. Wincing from his now throbbing hand, he extended an invitation to Artorias, "If you've nothing else to do until orientation, would you like to see how we forge here?"

Artorias looked around, realizing that the forgemaster probably worked much differently than the giant blacksmith he was familiar with. There were all kinds of machines that he'd never seen before. Fueled by a certain curiosity, Artorias nodded.

"Great, take a seat there boy, and I'll show you how the Kingdom of Vale makes her armor and weapons!"

* * *

Ruby Rose was nervous. She'd skipped two years to go to Beacon Academy, leaving all her friends behind. And she wasn't good at making new friends. Her only hope, her sister Yang Xiao Long, had left her to go hang out with her own friends. Ruby was alone for now.

All around her, the arriving students bustled about. She'd been content to stare at Beacon Academy's buildings for a few moments, but now she just felt awkwardly out of place. She could only sigh and begin trudging towards the main hall. She was so lost in thought that she bumped into someone.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Ruby apologized frantically. Things just weren't going her way at all!

"No worries!" The person she bumped into was a tall boy, around 6 feet tall. He had tousled brown hair, and was wearing some kind of uniform she didn't recognize. It consisted blue underclothes, along with a white-red coat and boots, with a matching headband. He also had a white bone-like staff with yellow highlights on his back, along with a shield that looked oddly like a sleek butterfly. The boy looked down at her, "You look lost, you alright?"

"Eh? Uh...I'm fine, thank you." Ruby was forced to tilt her head to make eye contact.

"You sure? You look a little pale." The boy was smiling at her, "I'm Auren by the way, nice to meetcha."

"N-Nice to meet you too, I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose." Ruby returned the smile. A friendly face! Maybe things were looking up for her!

"Oi Gehrman, say hi, wouldya?" Auren turned to a boy standing nearby. Ruby hadn't even noticed he was there. He was shorter than Auren, and old-looking black clothes complete with a little top hat. Even though his clothes were rather...unique, he blended in with the background really well, like he didn't want anyone to see him.

"Hi. I'm Gehrman." the boy took off his hat and bowed politely, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Ruby."

Ruby was a bit surprised at the boy's formality, not to mention the way he addressed her, "L-Likewise. Mister...um, Mister German."

Auren stifled a laugh while Gehrman cracked a small smile, "It's Gehrman."

"S-Sorry!" Ruby bowed for forgiveness.

"Hey! You're the girl from the airship." A third boy joined the conversation. It was a blonde boy that Ruby had seen on the ride up to Beacon.

"You're...the vomit boy, right?" Ruby asked, remembering an motion sick boy who'd managed to miss the trashcan and get some vomit on her sister's shoes.

"Gah! Look, let's forget that happened alright? I'm Jaune Arc, nice to meet you three." The blonde boy faltered for a moment before quickly recovering.

"Ruby."

"Gehrman."

"The name's Auren."

"Cool, cool. So...what's going on?" Jaune asked, looking at them with a bright expression.

"Nothing much, we just met Ruby here a moment ago." Auren replied, "It looks like we have some time to kill before orientation, huh?"

"Yeah." Ruby confirmed, looking at her scroll for the time.

"Well, then let me tell you the story behind what happened on the airship..." Jaune began, the four them walking away from the main path of the school. Auren, Jaune, and Ruby were soon engaged in a rather active conversation about airships and the dangers of motion sickness. Gehrman, on the other hand, was content to listen silently, like a parent monitoring his children.

Of course, these people did not go unnoticed by various strangers that were passing by. Gehrman and Auren didn't hear it, but there were already some whispers being spoken. One such conversation happened between a boy and girl that were nearby.

"Did you see that boy with the staff? That uniform is so weird looking. But he's pretty cute, even if he looks a little dumb."

"What about the silver-haired one, he looks like he came straight from a play or something. And look at the faces he makes, and the way he stands, he's like my grandpa!"

"Wait, what about him makes you say that?"

"Uh...I dunno, just, look at him, doesn't he just remind you of an old guy?"

"You're crazy! He's got this cool air around him, like a mysterious guy with a tragic past or something"

"Ehh? Whatever. Let's just get going."

This would only be the beginning of the strange rumors that revolved around the world traveler's presences in Remnant.

* * *

By the time Artorias left the forgemaster to his work, the incoming students were already all around the campus, on their way to the main hall for orientation. His shield was still in the works, but the forgemaster said he could expect it by the initiation. As he made his way to the main path of the Academy, he noticed a rather large trolley full of luggage blocking the path. The luggage all seemed to belong to the same person, being the same color and design. The other students were forced to detour around it, and while it wasn't a big deal, the obvious disregard for others irked Artorias a little bit.

As he approached, he spotted a white-haired girl in white standing in front, messing with her scroll.

"Excuse me." Artorias interrupted her, keeping his tone polite.

"What is it?" The girl looked up, an annoyed expression on her face. Her eyes briefly widened in surprise at seeing a boy dressed like a knight standing in front of her, before returning to the annoyed look, "I'm busy right now."

"Your luggage is in the middle of the path." Artorias pointed out, hoping it would be enough to make the girl aware of her surroundings.

"So? It's not like you can't walk around it. The sidewalk's wide enough." The girl replied, quite rudely. So much for Artroias's hope.

"It's an inconvenience. I can help you move your luggage, if you want."

"That's a job for my servants. Don't touch my things."

"Where are these servants?"

"Busy. They'll be here sometime."

"I'll move it for you." Artorias stepped forward, and began pushing her cart to the side.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" The girl followed him, shouting indignantly, "Do you know who I am!?"

"I'm afraid not. May I have the honor?" Artorias was continuing to be polite. Though he was annoyed at the girl for her disregard for others, he couldn't help but be reminded of a certain fiery assassin that served along with him as one of Gwyn's knights. She'd been quite the handful when she first joined.

The girl scoffed when she heard his reply.

"I'll have you know I'm-"

"Weiss Schnee. Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. One of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world." another voice interrupted them. They turned to see a black-haired girl with a black-white outfit approaching them. She also had a rather out-of-place, but cute, ribbon on her head. Artorias didn't quite understand the introduction, but he did recognize the word "heiress". She was someone of stature on Remnant.

"Hmph! Finally, some recognition!" Weiss folded her arms smugly.

"The same company that's infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners." The black haired girl finished flatly.

"Wha- How dare you!?" The heiress huffed angrily. Artorias briefly wondered how she hadn't managed to lose her breath with all her huffing and puffing. He then decided he should stop the coming verbal storm before it begins.

"Milady, my apologies for my earlier ignorance. However, I don't think someone of your stature should be making a scene. Your luggage is moved, and I'll be on my way." Artorias explained in a reasonable tone.

Weiss shot him a glare, but couldn't really refute anything he said. "Don't touch my things without my permission again," she growled before turning and storming off. Her actions actually caught Artorias off guard.

"Wait, your luggage is unattended-" Artorias tried to say, but the girl willfully ignored him and continued walking. Shaking his head, he turned towards where the black-haired girl was, "Her bags may get stolen-"But unfortunately for him, the black-haired girl had already disappeared. He could only stand there in shock, or rather, mild surprise at the attitude of the students he'd encountered so far.

On the bright side, people in fancy suits arrived around this time and began moving Weiss's luggage. So at least he didn't have to worry about that anymore. Well, unless they were stealing it, but Artorias highly doubted it.

"Making friends?" A hand clasped Artorias's shoulder. He turned, immediately recognizing Talion's voice. The ranger had a knowing smile on his face.

"The people of my world weren't so...expressive. There were a few exceptions, but it seems in Remnant they are the norm." Artorias shrugged, "What news do you have?"

"Not much. I've finished scouting the school, and I didn't spot anything suspicious. I do believe Auren and Gehrman are getting along well with the locals. Well, Auren is. Gehrman's just tagging along." Talion recalled what he'd seen as he scaled the school walls and towers. Of course, he made sure that none of the teachers or other students had seen him.

"What constitutes suspicious in Remnant?" Artorias asked curiously, "We've been here for only one day."

"...That's a good point." Talion sighed. They'd spent the entire morning reading about Remnant, and were enlightened on Aura, Dust, Semblances, and other major topics. But when it came to cultural and behavioral norms, they were still inexperienced.

"It does not matter. I'm sure the headmaster knows what goes on in his own school. If he requires our assistance for anything, he will let us know." Artorias said.

"I'm inclined to agree with you. I only hope we can make a difference." Talion agreed. The two of them turned and headed for the main hall.

"I am curious, were you a knight in your homeland?" Artorias asked suddenly, "You act like one sometimes."

"Not really a knight, but part of a group known as the Rangers of Gondor. Not woodsmen, mind you, we were still trained soldiers. But we specialized in scouting and guerilla warfare." Talion explained.

"I see. Don't be troubled, trained scouts are important for any military. Your title does not diminish your accomplishments." Artorias nodded.

"You misunderstand, the Rangers are an elite force of skirmishers and marksmen. To join meant great honor and skill." Talion clarified, "We may not charge on an open battlefield, but our name strikes fear into many an Orc or Uruk's black heart. The average ranger has felled far more enemies than the average member of Gondor's garrisons."

"Oh, my apologies. I know little of anything other than open combat. One of my comrades would've liked to meet you, she employed similar tactics." Artorias inclined his head in acknowledgment.

"No, there's no need to apologize. I already know our ways of warfare are vastly different. This colleague of yours, are you speaking of the cloaked lady you were acquainted with?"

"That's right. She was very quick, and very deadly with the dagger. Much like yourself." Artorias gave a nostalgic smile, "It seems we've arrived."

The two of them entered the crowded main hall of Beacon. They grabbed an open spot around the middle-right of the audience. Unfortunately, they ended up behind a rather loud blonde girl and her group of friends.

"Like I said, much more expressive." Artorias said, with a completely serious face. Talion could only smile wryly and shake his head.

Neither of them knew that there were already some rumors about a certain "ice princess" and her "silver knight" that followed her around. A rumor that would come back and bother them for a while to come.

* * *

"My point is motion sickness is a much bigger problem than people let on!" Jaune was speaking adamantly to his new friends.

"We don't doubt you, right guys?" Ruby made a placating gesture, looking at Auren and Gehrman.

"Nope, I've known a few people that get sick on airships." Auren grinned, "They don't make good hunters though."

"Wha- Hey! Fighting on the ground is way different from being trapped in an airship!" Jaune protested.

"Just kidding, just kidding." Auren put his hands up in surrender. Ruby gave a small giggle, while Jaune made an insulted face. Gehrman, as usual, was following along silently.

"Soo...I have this." Ruby pulled out a small red rectangle. To everyone's surprise, the rectangle quickly expanded into a full-blown scythe.

"Wah! I-Is that a scythe?" Jaune stammered out.

"It's also a customizable, high impact, sniper rifle!" Ruby grinned smugly. She loved weapons, and was happy she got a chance to show her's off. She was also hoping that her new friends would show her what they brought too. She loved learning more about new weapons, so much so that her sister says it's an "unhealthy obsession". But she didn't care.

"A wha-?" Jaune looked at her uncomprehendingly.

"It's a gun." Ruby simplified, marveling at how Jaune managed to look so clueless.

"Ohhh!" Jaune now looked suitably impressed.

"That sure is something. I bet the smiths back at home would be drooling all over this thing." Auren whistled in appreciation, "What do you think, Gehrman?"

"It's a good weapon." Gehrman stated, but he lacked the awed expression of the other two boys. Her weapon was strangely similar to his own, after all. But he was still impressed with the workmanship of the scythe/gun. Maybe it was because of his general attitude, but Ruby didn't feel too bothered about his lack of a reaction.

"What do you have?" Ruby turned to Jaune first, a light in her eyes.

"Uh...I got this sword." Jaune pulled out a very utilitarian straight sword.

"Oooh..." Ruby made an impressed sound, but her face told him she was still waiting for more.

"And this shield." Jaune expanded a shield from a device he was carrying.

"So, what do they do?"

"Uh...the shield gets smaller. So when I get tired of carrying it, I can just...put it away..." Jaune realized how lame he sounded, making a discouraged face. Ruby instantly felt bad.

"Don't worry about it! People don't have enough appreciation for classic weaponry," she consoled him, "Besides, I might've gone just a biiit overboard designing this one."

"Wait, you made that?" Jaune gasped in surprise.

"All the students at Signal, that's my old school, have to make their own weapons." Ruby smiled shyly.

"That. That right there, that's impressive." Auren instantly realized how difficult it would be to craft such a weapon, not to mention the training. He found himself intrigued that such a young girl was so skilled. Of course, he didn't know how good she was with her weapon, but judging from how prestigious the school seemed to be, she couldn't be incompetent.

Gehrman also had his curiosity piqued. He, of course, made his own weapons, and as such saw a comrade in the young girl showing off her prized piece. He didn't say anything of course, but he filed her away as an important person at Beacon.

"So, what do you guys have?" The light was back in Ruby's eyes as she turned to Auren and Gehrman.

"I didn't make this, but I'm carrying what's called an insect glaive where I come from." Auren pulled out his weapon. Ruby got a closer look, and realized that most of the staff was indeed made of bone, one end sharpened very finely, the other end weighted and studded for bludgeoning. She didn't recognize the parts that made the weapon glow yellow, though. Even if the choice of material was odd, she could tell the weapon was a work of art.

"This...this is amazing! Are you some kind of martial artist? Like from a dojo or something?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"No, nothing like that. I'm just a normal hunter. Uh, hunter-in-training." Auren corrected himself.

"Does it have any special functions?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Hmm, I can do this." Auren twirled the glaive skillfully, before breaking into a run away from the group onto the open grass. He then slammed the blunt end into the ground and activated some kind of trigger. The glaive extended like piston, launching him into the air. As he came down, he performed a series of strikes at a phantom target, landing smoothly on both feet.

"Whoa!" Jaune gaped at Auren's handling of his weapon. He became worried that everyone had to be at that standard, if that was the case, he might be in trouble.

"That was so cool!" Ruby cheered.

"Thanks. I use insect glaives and longswords. Uh, longswords are just...really long swords I guess." Auren didn't really know how to explain his world's weapon culture. They typically utilized weapons that were much bigger than they ever needed to be, simply due to the size of the enemies they fought.

"Why's it called an insect glaive?" Ruby tilted her head questioningly, the glaive was made up of bone or other animal parts as far as she could tell.

"Oh, that's because of this baby." Auren raised his arm up, the one that carried the butterfly-shaped shield. To everyone's surprise, it shot off him, flying around quickly.

"That's a real bug!?" Jaune looked like he was about to faint.

"Yep, my partner whenever I'm using this weapon. I can't really show you what he can do, but take my word for it, it's pretty cool." Auren said, holding out his arm and letting the bug settle back into its original position. It was so still when it rested that everyone had a hard time believing it was alive. Auren was also content to see that Gehrman had also raised an eyebrow in surprise. The First Hunter hadn't seen any of the abilities of the insect glaive before.

"Aw, I wanna see what the cute bug does." Ruby said, disappointed.

"Sorry, I'll show you one of these days." Auren promised her, making her smile happily.

"Okay!"

"I've never heard of anyone using a bug as a weapon." Jaune added.

"Me neither." Ruby agreed.

"I'm not from this...that is, I'm not from around here. Not from Vale, Mistral, Vacuo, or Atlas. Gehrman too. But we're not from the same place." Auren explained, remembering their cover story and naming off the kingdoms he'd memorized.

"So you're foreigner from an outside settlement. That explains it!" Jaune nodded, accepting his answer. Ruby nodded as well. The four kingdoms might be the biggest in Remnant, but they still sometimes found settlements that were isolated enough that they had no idea what was happening in the outside world. The kingdoms just didn't have the manpower to fully explore their claimed lands.

"Now there's just one left!" Ruby turned to Gehrman, "Um, that is, if you're okay with showing us..."

"No problem." Gehrman pulled out his burial blade in sword form, it was huge jagged blade shaped like a crescent.

"That. is. terrifying." Jaune looked uneasily at the the misshapen weapon.

"It's called the burial blade. I made it myself." Gehrman explained curtly.

"You too!? That's so cool!" Ruby saw that even though it looked primitive, it was a strong weapon.

"That's not the only thing we have in common." Gehrman drew the blade back, attaching it to some pole-shaped objects on his back, before swinging everything out in the form of a scythe.

"Yep, terrifying." Jaune was briefly reminded of the fairy tales he'd heard as a child. He was pretty sure Death had a scythe that looked exactly like Gehrman's.

"Wow! You have a scythe too!?" Ruby's eyes had stars in them, "We're scythe buddies!"

"...If you say so." Gehrman wasn't sure how to respond to the energetic girl, so he continued by pulling out his blunderbuss, "Unlike you, my burial blade does not double as a gun, so I use this as my firearm."

Ruby whistled, eyes wide, "That's an antique!"

"It still serves its purpose." Gehrman replied simply.

"I'm sure it does, it looks well cared for." Ruby eyed the gun's well-oiled body and its freshly cleaned barrel. Almost like it was used really recently...

"Transforming weapons are the norm here, it seems. That and guns." Auren pointed out, shaking Ruby out of her thoughts, "If I'd known, I would've brought my charge blade or switchaxe. Or my bowguns."

"What are those!?" Ruby was pretty much bouncing up and down at this point. She hadn't expected to meet people with such interesting weapons so quickly.

"They're uh...let me see..." Auren didn't know where to start, but before he could collect his thoughts, Gehrman interrupted them, pointing at his scroll.

"Orientation is soon. I don't know if you've noticed, but we've been walking away from the main hall. We should turn back now." He notified them.

"Awwwww!" Ruby whined. She made a note to make sure to get Auren to spill all the juicy details about his weapons later.

"I'll lead the way!" Jaune interrupted, having recovered from his earlier shock at Gehrman's rather terrifying equipment.

"That's not the right path." Gehrman called out to him as he proceeded to walk the completely wrong direction. The others had followed behind Gehrman, so Jaune was alone on his little expedition.

"I knew that! I was just testing you!" Jaune hurried and caught up to them as everyone laughed, besides Gehrman who only smiled. Together, the four them headed for the main hall.

When they arrived, Ruby was immediately called by her sister, Yang, who had saved her a spot.

"Oh, gotta go. It was nice meeting you all!" Ruby said cheerfully, before running to join her.

"Wait! Aw, well, I guess it's just us guys now. What a sausage fest." Jaune groaned.

"Actually, it looks like our friends are over there too." Auren said, pointing at Talion and Artorias, who were standing behind Yang and Ruby, "We'll see you later, Jaune."

"What!? Noooo!" Jaune's cry echoed in their ears as Gehrman and Auren joined up with Talion and Artorias.

"Making friends?" Talion asked them, repeating the line he'd used with Artorias.

"You could say that. Everyone here's really friendly even though they share the world with those creepy Grimm monsters." Auren replied, in a good mood, "Reminds me of home."

"They have interesting weapons here." Gehrman added, nodding with satisfaction, "But these people are very innocent. I believe Aura has made them complacent.

"You may be right about that. It's good that you've already made some acquaintances though. We should make connections while we have the time. We never know when things will get rough." Talion frowned, recalling how quickly things had changed for him when his squad of rangers was overrun at the Black Gate. From then on, he'd been forced to fight alone (well, half-alone) without any comrades in entirely hostile territory. Not something he wanted to repeat.

It was at this moment that Ruby realized that two of her new friends were standing right behind her. They'd been talking in low tones, so neither her or Yang had heard them.

"Oh hey guys! And new guys!" Ruby realized that she didn't know Talion or Artorias, doing a double take at Artorias, "A knight?"

"Yes. I am called Artorias." Artorias gave a small bow.

"I'm Talion." Talion also gave a small bow.

"Friends of yours?" Yang was a bubbly blonde girl, who looked nothing like Ruby, which made the four boys question whether they were related or not.

"Uh, yeah! Auren and Gehrman here were showing me their weapons earlier. They were soooo cool!" Ruby gushed, referring to the weapons, not the boys. She tilted her head at Talion and Artorias, "Are all four of you friends?"

"You could say that. We're all foreigners." Auren explained.

"Ooh I see." Ruby nodded, "Did you all band together to come to Beacon or something?"

"No, we just met yesterday. We were...um...on an earlier flight." Auren replied, making up a half truth.

"Gotcha." Ruby nodded, before being pulled into a headlock by her sister.

"I knew you could do it! Look at my baby sis, already making new friends! And with hot guys too!" Yang was grinning widely.

"Hey, stop that!" Ruby growled, trying to free herself. The scene was quite heartwarming, and the boys could tell Yang had given them a compliment in regards to their appearance. It wasn't an issue they thought about often, so they were surprised to find that they were considered attractive.

"I'm Yang Xiao Long, by the way. If any of you boys wants to get to know me better, lemme know~!" Yang shot them a slightly suggestive look, one that was diminished by her sister's arms flailing in front of her face periodically. Smiling internally, the four of them repeated their introductions to Yang.

"So you guys are foreigners, right? You gotta tell me what its like out there sometime." Yang said, finally releasing Ruby, who was gasping for breath.

"YOU!" A voice cut into their conversation, one that was rather familiar to Artorias already. Everyone turned to see Weiss, who had taken an empty spot to Ruby's left. She was glaring at Artorias.

"Because of you, I got scolded for letting a stranger touch my luggage!" Weiss pointed at Artorias accusingly. In truth, scold was a bit of a strong word, she was told politely by her servants that she shouldn't leave her luggage unattended, or let unrelated individuals handle it.

"I just moved it out of the path of others." Artorias stated simply.

"And THAT'S the problem! Do me a favor, and mind your own business next time!"

Everyone else was watching the unfolding drama with wide eyes, while Auren decided he'd try to placate the random angry girl.

"Now, now, is there really a need to shout?" Auren tried to calm the girl down.

"Who are you supposed to be!? Never mind, I don't care. Mind your own business!" Weiss snapped at him.

"I was just trying to-" Auren was surprised at how angry she was. He didn't often deal with such raw emotion.

"Why should I have to listen to you? You country hick!" Weiss declared hotly. Auren made a confused expression, what about him made him a hick? Funnily enough, instead of being insulted, he retired from the conversation out of pure confusion and surprise at Weiss's choice of insult.

But her dismissive treatment of Auren irritated Ruby, who joined, "Hey! Who do you think you are anyways? You can't just come in here and start yelling at people!"

Weiss looked at her in surprise, before becoming even angrier, "Who do I think I am!? I should be asking you that! What's a kid like you even doing here in the first place!?"

"K-Kid?" Ruby looked at the girl incredulously. She was barely a centimeter taller than her.

"This is a school for training elite hunters and huntresses, it's not some playground!"

Yang gave a growl, ready to jump in and help her sister when-

"SILENCE!" Artorias roared, cutting everyone off and shocking them into silence, including some other students that couldn't help overhearing the argument. He then lowered his voice to a menacing hiss, so only their group could hear, "First, we are disturbing the other students. Second, your issue is with me, Weiss Schnee, please, refrain from insulting my friends. Third, if you are indeed an heiress, you should learn to better control your temper. Act with the behavior your title deserves!"

Now it was Artorias's turn to be stared at by everyone. With his initial burst of anger gone, Artorias felt a bit guilty. Weiss was staring at him in stunned silence, a mixture of anger and surprise on her face.

"Listen..." Artorias began, in a regular tone, "I do not know you, Weiss Schnee. I will not make any claims about your character. However, I will tell you my impression. You seem to be a commanding, forceful person. This is not always a bad thing, these qualities can be forged into a good leader. What made me angry was how quickly you turned hostile to others, insulting them and judging them purely off of appearance and a few words."

"..." Weiss looked down, realizing that the towering knight was being pretty accurate.

"I do not know how Remnant's kingdoms work, but I assume its leaders should exemplify fairness, justice, and strength. But I do apologize for my outburst. It was not proper to use such a tone with a young lady." Artorias finished, bowing his head apologetically. Inwardly, he was a bit worried. He'd never lost his temper like that before. Perhaps it was a lingering effect from his corruption?

"Perhaps...I was bit rude. I'm sorry." Weiss bowed back first to Artorias, then turned back to the others and bowed again.

"Hey, it's all just water under the bridge now." Yang gave an accepting grin. Artorias's roar had done a good job of diffusing everyone's temper, "I know, let's get to know each other a little. You're Weiss, right? I'm Yang."

One by one, everyone gave their names.

"Ahem, as you've heard, I'm Weiss Schnee. I do hope we can learn from one another." Weiss said, her tone still a bit stiff. They were planning to talk a bit more, but at this moment Ozpin appeared on stage to give his speech.

Talion ignored him, as he disliked speeches, and approached Artorias. Gehrman and Auren leaned closer as well.

"Are you alright?" Talion asked, having been one of the most surprised by the normally calm knight's outburst.

"I am fine. It appears my corruption from the abyss has made it harder to control my emotions. I won't let it happen again." Artorias sighed, "That was unbecoming of me."

"Don't worry about it! You didn't say anything wrong, at least I think," Auren clapped the knight on the back cheerfully, "It was kinda cool, actually."

Gehrman nodded as well, having a bit of dislike for nobility, even though the ones he was familiar with were very much not the norm. Of course, he judged the Schnee girl to simply be a bit spoiled, rather than another Vileblood in the making.

"If you say so." Artorias replied.

The rest of the orientation went smoothly. Yang, Weiss, and Ruby talked to one another on their way to the ballroom, where the students would spend the night. The boys couldn't help but feel a bit lighter, happy at how quickly the girls warmed up to one another after a rough start. Weiss still seemed to be struggling, but they could tell she was trying to improve her attitude.

* * *

"Are you...sleeping in that?" Yang had come over to greet the boys, much to the discomfort of the other male students. She was addressing all four of them, who hadn't really changed clothes.

"Nah, I was just organizing some luggage." Auren replied first, taking off his set of equipment. He planned to sleep in his tight underclothes, which did little to conceal his well-built frame.

"Oooh, not bad. Not bad at all." Yang purred with a grin.

"I try." Auren grinned back.

"So, what about you three?" Yang looked at the remaining three, the slight hunger in her eyes making them uncomfortable. Gehrman decided to act first, removing his outer coats and leaving his last shirt and pants on. He also immediately rolled into his sleeping bag and turned away from them, feigning sleep.

"Aw, disappointment!" Yang pouted, "Oh well, you're the skinniest guy here anyways."

Talion wasn't embarrassed, but he also wasn't willing to show as much skin as some of the other male students. It seemed a bit improper to him. Not to mention he didn't really sleep in the first place, being a wraith and all, so he decided he'd spend the night outside, "Excuse me, I'm a bit parched. I'll be back."

"Alright, you're the last one," Yang turned to Artorias, "There's _no_ way you're sleeping in that armor, right?"

"I can. You must be prepared for battle at any time." Artorias replied.

"Come on! We're in a ballroom, in the most secure place in all of Vale!" Yang protested.

"Hm, you're right." Artorias nodded, acknowledging her point. He then proceeded to almost entirely strip out of his armor, leaving only his fur underwear on. He was also either ignoring or unaware of all the stares he immediately received from boys and girls alike. Auren muttered something about how he'd need to work harder, before returning to organizing his luggage.

"Wowee..." Yang's jaw hung open. The knight reminded her of a sculpture with the way he was built. His armor had the effect of making him look thinner than he really was, so his athletic build was a surprise to some. Yang's expression turned into a frown when she noticed how many scars he had all over his body, there was an especially large on in the center of his chest where the Chosen Undead and ran him through, "Where'd you get those?"

"Battle." Artorias stated simply, "They are reminders that there is always room to improve."

Yang didn't reply, wondering what exactly this boy had done in his life to receive wounds like that. At this moment, Weiss came up to retrieve Yang.

"Yang, get back to the girl's side of the room before a teacher- Wha-What are you doing!?" Weiss covered her eyes when she saw Artorias, peeking through the cracks at him. She turned bright red, despite having seen many of the other boys in their "sleepwear" already. It seemed that she grew shy when it was someone she was familiar with.

"Princess..."

"Knight..."

Various whispers popped up around the room. Yang heard some of them, and decided it was time to bail, "Alrighty, well, you have a good night boys. C'mon Weiss, let's get going." Yang dragged the blushing girl all the way back to the girl's side, also planning how she would join in teasing the heiress later. A knight and princess was just too good of an opportunity.

Artorias watched to make sure nothing happened, not that he expected any trouble, before deciding to retire for the night himself. He turned to find himself face-to-face with one Jaune Arc, who he had been briefly introduced to by Auren and Gehrman. Well, mainly by Auren.

"Please. Teach. Me. I want muscles too!" Jaune begged, with reverence in his eyes.

Artorias sighed inwardly. The students at this school were really too much for him.

On the girl's side, there was some commotion concerning two roughhousing sisters, an irate heiress, and a cool-headed bookworm.

Just another day at Beacon.

* * *

Talion was sitting at the very top of one of Beacon's towers. He was content to spend the night enjoying the cool night and fresh air. However, with his wraith-enhanced senses, he couldn't help noticing a feeling of unease from the direction of the Emerald Forest. It was the location they first arrived at upon coming to Remnant, and also the location of tomorrow's initiation.

He could only frown and wait, hoping that it was just the effect of the Grimm known to inhabit the forest.

If not, well, work might be starting sooner than he thought.

* * *

 **I'm so excited for the next chapter. I hope you've enjoyed so far! It's been a bit light on Gehrman-related events so far, but it won't be that way the whole time, I promise! Thanks for reading!**


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